My niece is an angel, yet all of 5...and she says things like "never mind" while rolling her eyes skywards! She wears color coordinated outfits and finds regular milton water bottles "boring". She wants Barbie stuff. Or whatever it is that's the flavor of the season - Noddy, Pokemon, Power Girls...I've lost track of the rest.

Today she introduced me to her friend.

Niece: Bua, this is Aryan
Bua: Hello Aryan :)
Aryan: Hello aunty
Bua: (Thinking to herself)Aunty mat kaho na
Niece: She works in a big office. She normally looks good.
Bua: !...!

I'm in jams and have nicely oiled hair. My masseause had come over today for a long due massage. I hadn't had one since the 30th of last month. Must say it was relaxing. But I'm digressing.

I've never been conscious of what I was wearing or how I was looking. Well...never at home, at least. Yet today I was made acutely aware of what an old fuddy I was looking like. By my very-conscious-of-what-she-looks-like niece. She walks tall, with her stomach pulled in. She tosses her hair ever so pertly. She looks at you with her melting eyes and cute smile. She eats like a lady, with her mouth closed. Never mind that I taught her that. She's got about a dozen ladies wanting to be her mother-in-law when she grows up! She crosses her ankles while she's sitting and she's the perfect hostess when her friends come over. She even introduces them all to me, like she did today.

I'm 30. My niece is 5.